1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cutting tools, and in particular to cutting tools having lights that serve to illuminate a portion of a workpiece that will be cut during a cutting operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 60-98602 teaches a portable circular saw that includes a lighting device. The lighting device includes an incandescent light bulb that is disposed on the outer side of a blade case. The blade case serves to partially cover a circular saw blade and has a transparent window that is formed adjacent to the light bulb. Thus, a portion of a workpiece that will be cut can be illuminated by the light from the light bulb through the transparent window and through the inner space of the blade case.
However, the transparent window is disposed on a surface that is tangential to the saw blade. Therefore, the transparent window directly opposes the circumferential edge of the saw blade and cutting chips that fly off from the cut portion during the cutting operation will adhere to the transparent window. As a result, visibility through the window may be obscured and the illuminating effect of the light may be considerably degraded.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-170203 teaches a portable circular saw that includes a light mounted on a motor housing. The motor housing is joined to one side of a blade case and has a motor disposed therein. Thus, the light is disposed outward of the blade case. Further, the light is directed perpendicular to the cutting line instead of in parallel with the cutting line. Accordingly, although the light may be positioned away from the stream of the cutting chips from the cut portion, the cutting line cannot be effectively illuminated.